A classic homemade bread stuffing for Thanksgiving turkey. Cooked in the turkey or oven baked, this turkey dressing is just like the one grandma would make!
This has to be one of my all time favorite foods of ALL! No kidding..I could live off of this stuffing alone! This is the reason that I always overeat at Thanksgiving! Lol
Not to mention that this is super simple to make. Another reason I love this so much is because all the veggies in this are hidden when you blend it together before baking it.
It looks pretty gross when you are prepping it, like a big pile of mush, but WOW after it is cooked it turns out so fluffy and savory!
Try some of my other Thanksgiving favorites!
Pumpkin Bars: Moist cake like pumpkin squares with a whipped cream cheese frosting. These squares are the perfect autumn dessert that will feed a crowd!
Apple Pie Bars: Homemade apple pie bars, all done in a sheet pan. Made with apples, cinnamon, and a flaky pie crust, this will feed the whole family!
Pumpkin Muffins: Light and fluffy, easy pumpkin muffins. A streusel topping makes these taste like they are straight from the bakery.
Butternut Squash Soup: Butternut squash soup full of fresh onions, potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, and celery. Added spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, makes this a perfect autumn soup!
Cinnamon Rolls: The perfect soft and chewy cinnamon roll. A breakfast treat that is filled with a gooey cinnamon swirl and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
Peanut Crunch Candy: Super fast no bake peanut crunch candy, made with Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal and almond bark! Easy birthday and holiday treat!
Do I cook the homemade stuffing in the turkey or not?
Yes! Or not! You can do either. You can stuff the turkey with this stuffing and then cook the bird according to the directions. This stuffing can also be cooked in a casserole dish in the oven. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. The stuffing that is cooked in the turkey will have more flavor because of the turkey juices it will absorb while cooking. The stuffing inside the turkey will also be a bit more moist than the stuffing cooked in the casserole dish.
Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Stuffing
Celery: 4 stalks that are fresh and firm. Chopped up a bit to fit in the blender.
Onion: Choose a mild flavored onion like yellow or white. Chopped up a little to fit in the blender.
Eggs: 6 fresh eggs, helps the stuffing stick together.
Melted butter: Must be melted to that it blends well into the other ingredients.
Milk: Adds creaminess to the stuffing.
Chicken Broth: Use a homemade chicken broth for best flavor, or I like the Knorr chicken bouillon flavor that I then make the broth from.
Poultry seasoning: The dried version is ok to use here, enhances the stuffing flavor.
Fresh Parsley: Use fresh parsley for the best flavor. A dried parsley can be used but it will not provide as much flavor.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Use good quality fresh ground sea salt and ground black peppercorns.
Dried Bread: 2 loaves are needed. I like to buy fresh bread, take all the pieces out of the packaging and lay them all out on the countertops without them touching each other. Leave them like this overnight and they will be dried out enough to use in the stuffing. You need them dried out a bit so that they absorb all the other liquid ingredients better.
How to make Homemade Turkey Stuffing
You will want to take about 2 days ahead of time to make this stuffing. The bread sits out overnight for one night, and then after you mix all the ingredients together the uncooked stuffing sits overnight in the refrigerator for one night. If you are short on time, the uncooked stuffing can sit for 3-4 hours instead of overnight. But for best results and to let the bread have maximum absorption, leave it sit overnight.
Steps:
Spread pieces of bread out and leave set out overnight to dry out.
In a blender, blend together celery, onion, eggs, milk, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Tear up the bread into pieces and place into a large bowl.
Pour the wet ingredients over the bread and mix together with your hands.
Add more or less of the bread for a sloppy but firm consistency.
Refrigerate the uncooked stuffing overnight. It really is best if you refrigerate overnight to let the bread absorb all the liquid, however if you are short on time you could refrigerate it for 3 or 4 hours instead.
Fill the turkey with the stuffing and cook the turkey following the instructions that came with the turkey.
This amount of stuffing is perfect for a 12-16 pound turkey. If you have a larger turkey, double the stuffing recipe.
If you have leftover stuffing that doesn’t fit in the bird, you can cook it in an oven safe casserole dish at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover with foil if it starts to get too crispy.
Homemade Turkey Stuffing
Description
A classic homemade bread stuffing for Thanksgiving turkey. Cooked in the turkey or oven baked, this dressing is just like grandma’s recipe!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Spread pieces of bread out and leave set out overnight to dry out.
- In a blender, blend together celery, onion, eggs, milk, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Tear up the bread into pieces and place into a large bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the bread and mix together with your hands.
- Add more or less of the bread for a sloppy but firm consistency.
- Refrigerate the uncooked stuffing overnight. (or 3-4 hours if tight on time)
- Fill the turkey with the stuffing and cook the turkey following the instructions that came with the turkey.
- Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
- You can cook extra stuffing in an oven safe casserole dish at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes, or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees.
- This recipe is for a 12-16 pound turkey. Double the recipe for a bigger turkey.
Some more delicious dinner recipes!
Baked BBQ Chicken Wings: Crispy oven baked chicken wings, seasoned and then smothered in BBQ sauce. Perfect appetizer or an easy weeknight meal!
Homemade Pizza: Easy do it yourself pizza with a homemade crust done in 30 minutes! Simple ingredients make this a budget friendly weeknight meal.
Baked Goulash: A classic goulash baked with mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs to give it a gourmet taste! Easy for a weeknight kid friendly dinner.
Stuffed Cabbage: Slow cooked cabbage rolls in a tomato and sauerkraut sauce. An authentic Romanian holiday dish!
Mac and Cheese Soup: Homemade creamy mac and cheese soup. Bacon, garlic, and onions are cooked in for a savory comfort food dish.
Pasta Fagioli: A hearty Pasta Fagioli soup that is loaded with beans, veggies, and ground turkey. A perfect comfort soup for those chilly days!
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